68.5 The voice that spoke in the desert is no longer heard. But it is not mute. It still speaks to God on behalf of Israel and still speaks to every Israelite with an honest heart and it says — after teaching you to do penance to prepare the ways to the Lord Who is coming, and to be charitable giving what is surplus to those who lack even what is necessary, and to be honest without extorting and vexing — it says: “The Lamb of God, He Who takes away the sins of the world, Who will baptise with the fire of the Holy Spirit is amongst you. He will clear His threshing-floor and gather His wheat”.
Endeavour to recognise Him Whom the Precursor indicates to you. His suffering is imploring God to give you light. See. May your spiritual eyes be opened. You will recognise the Light that is coming. I pick up the voice of the Prophet announcing the Messiah, and with the power I receive from the Father, I amplify it and I add My authority to it and I call you to the truth of the Law. Prepare your hearts for the grace of the oncoming Redemption. The Redeemer is amongst you. Blessed are those who will be worthy of being redeemed, because they are men of goodwill.
Peace be with you.»
Someone asks: «Are You a disciple of the Baptist, since You speak of him with such veneration?»
«I was baptised by him, on the banks of the Jordan, before he was imprisoned. I venerate him because he is holy in the eyes of God. I solemnly tell you that among the children of Abraham there is no one greater in grace than he is. From his birth to his death, the eyes of God will rest upon that blessed man without any feeling of disdain.»
«Did he give You any assurance about the Messiah?»
«His word, which does not lie, pointed out the living Messiah to those present.»
«Where? When?»
«When it was time to do so.»
68.6 But Judas feels obliged to say to everybody: «The Messiah is He Who is speaking to you. I declare it, because I know Him, and I am His first disciple.»
«Him!… Oh!…» The people move away frightened. But Jesus is so sweet that they gather round Him again.
«Ask Him to work some miracles. He is powerful. He can heal. He can read your hearts. He can answer all your questions.»
«Tell Him, on my behalf, that I am not well. My right eye is blind. My left one is already failing…»
«Master.»
«Judas.» Jesus, Who is caressing a little girl, turns around.
«Master, this man is almost blind and he wants to see. I told him you can…»
«I can heal him who has faith. Have you faith, man?»
«I believe in the God of Israel. I come here to enter the Bethzatha Pool. But there is always someone before me.»
«Can you believe in Me?»
«If I believe in the angel of the pool, should I not believe in You, Who Your disciple says are the Messiah?»
Jesus smiles. He wets His finger with saliva and lightly touches the diseased eye. «What can you see?»
«I see things without the fog I used to see. Are You not healing the other one?»
Jesus smiles once again. He repeats the operation on the blind eye. «What can you see?» He asks, removing His fingertip from the closed eyelid.
«Ah! Lord of Israel! I can see as well as when I was a little boy, running through the meadows! May You be blessed forever and ever!” The man cries, kneeling at Jesus’ feet.
«Go. Be good, now, out of gratitude to God.»
68.7 A Levite who arrived towards the end of the miracle, asks: «With what authority do You do such things?»
«Are you asking Me? I will tell you, if you answer a question. According to you, who is greater, a prophet who prophesies the Messiah or the Messiah Himself?»
«What a question! The Messiah is greater: He is the Redeemer promised by the Most High!»
«Well, then, why did the Prophets work miracles? Whit what authority?»
«With the authority given to them by God to prove to the crowds that God was with them.»
«Well, I perform miracles with the same authority: God is with Me, I am with Him. And I thus prove to the people that what I say is true and that the Messiah, with a greater right and a greater power, can do what the Prophets were able to do.»
The Levite goes away pensive and the vision ends.